LOCKCHA TEA HOUSEThough primarily a tea house and tea museum, LockCha also serves up a simple but delectable selection of vegan dim sum in a classical Chinese atmosphere. Think lots of wood and the daintiest crockery. The owner of the establishment Wing Chi Ip is a name to reckon with in tea circles and says the menu is kept simple so as to not overshadow their famous teas. It changes often, but look out for their lotus-leaf wrapped glutinous rice dumplings, turnip cakes, seasonal vegetable dim sum and tofu skin roll. Address: Ground Floor, The KS Lo Gallery, Hong Kong Park, Admiralty, Hong Kong. Website

CHILLI FAGARA AND FLAMED BY CHILLI FAGARA

Eggplant in sour chilli and garlic at Flamed by Chilli Fagara.

A local favourite since it first opened 10 years ago, the Michelin-starred Chilli Fagara is famous for its numbing spicy Sichuan cuisine. But the special vegetarian menu deserves as much praise. The menu is divided by the degrees of spice: ma, la and tang, each deliciously deadly. Recently, the restaurant spawned another outpost, and the original site—which seats barely 20—has been rechristened Flamed by Chilli Fagara. Here, non-traditional ingredients such as truffles and espresso marry classic Sichuan flavours. But the old menu still holds its own. Don’t miss the hot and sour soup, the dumplings in peanut sauce, eggplant in sour chilli and garlic, and the wondrously crunchy fried rice. Address: Ground Floor, 7 Old Bailey Street, Soho, Central. Website

DIN TAI FUNGVisit it for its famous dumplings, which are a lesson in precision and standardisation. Every DTF outlet in the world serves dumplings that have the exact same texture, flavour, size and appearance—each weighs 4.8gm and must have at least 18 folds. Start your meal with the cucumber salad in chilli and garlic. The mushroom and vegetable dumplings are fabulous, as are the vegetable and mushroom buns. Their selection of steamed greens in garlic (spinach, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, kale, etc.) go great with the scallion fried rice and noodles in sesame and peanut sauce, which can be made vegetarian on request. End your meal with the steamed red bean paste dumplings. DTF has four locations in Hong Kong. Website

KUNG TAK LAM SHANGHAI VEGETARIAN CUISINEVegetarians will feel far from deprived at this famous Shanghainese restaurant. The food here is free of MSG and low in sodium and contains minimal amounts of oil. The Kowloon outpost offers a stunning view of the city’s famed skyline, the perfect backdrop while you enjoy its popular vegetarian meatball casserole, xiaolongbaos, cold noodles in seven types of sauces or even a vegetarian imitation of shark fin! Address: 7/F, 1 Peking, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Website

PURE VEGGIE HOUSE

Pumpkin curry at Pure Veggie House.

No prizes for guessing why a vegetarian will be delighted by the menu here. A Buddhist establishment (which also means no garlic and no alcohol), this one sources its ingredients from its own organic farm. Apart from its famous 18 louhans menu, which comprises signature dishes based on Buddhist concepts, the Sichuan-style peanut sauce noodles are a must-have. Equally popular are the pan-fried dumplings, the Matsuke mushroom dumplings with a truffle sauce, and the house-style fried rice. End your meal with the hot red-date pudding. Address: Pure Veggie House, 3/F Coda Plaza, 51 Garden Road, Central. Website

MASK OF SI CHUEN AND BEIJINGThis one’s an oldie but still goodie, and true to its name, you’ll be greeted by dramatic Chinese opera masks suspended from the ceiling. With a special menu for their vegetarian patrons (they even do onion- and garlic-free versions), the choices here are as varied as they are delicious. From mock-meat dishes to its signature black pepper cheung fan, tan tan noodles, and mushroom and bean curd with chilli in a hot pot, Mask gives you the chance to dig into the meat-free versions of dishes you’ve only read on non-vegetarian menus. The cherry on top? Eggless desserts! Address: Shop 33, G/F, Tsim Sha Tsui East Station. Website

CHI LIN VEGETARIANAt this Buddhist vegetarian restaurant, the flavours and the ambience impress in equal parts. It’s located in the famous Tang Dynasty-inspired Nan Lian Gardens on Kowloon Island and has an artificial waterfall that you need to cross to enter. The restaurant is run by an eponymous Buddhist nunnery and eliminates the need for faux meat substitutes. Instead, what you get is a selection that’s fresh and rich in natural flavours. Specialties include the stuffed bean curd, curry noodles served in a clay pot, and the lotus root patties. Expect flavours that don’t overwhelm the senses and are yet very tasteful. Address: Nan Lian Garden, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Website

QI – HOUSE OF SICHUAN

Lettuce wrap at Qi – House of Sichuan.

Qi offers diners a contemporary setting with sleek interiors, red hazy lighting and the thumping bass of lounge music. Like all the other Sichuan-inspired eateries on this list, here too you’ll find food that’s heavy in dried red chillies and yet worth all the trouble. Start off with the vegetarian chilli oil wantons and the lettuce wraps (yes, those are spicy too!). Choose between the vegetable chilli fried rice and the fried veggie noodles and pair it with the Mala Vegetables for a real knock to the senses (mala sauce is made with Sichuan peppercorns, chilli pepper and several other spices). This one has enough vegetarian options to bring you back a second time. Address: Shop 12, 2/F, J Senses, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai. Website

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